On the fence for the quality of Speyburn single malt
With one of the most famous brands in Speyside at a 16 minute walking distance, Speyburn was probably always destined to stand in the shadow of Glen Grant. Slowly but surely however, Speyburn Disitllery started releasing quality whisky – flying well under the radar, making the output something of a hidden gem for those who went looking for it. With the debut of a few higher aged core range bottlings like the 15 and 18 years old expressions, Speyburn caught the eye of more and more enthusiasts. Justifiably so! Recently, I came across a petition to save these bottlings from a downgrade. Apparently the owners are planning to start diluting and chill-filtering some beloved expressions, leading even to an online petition! We gladly refer you there.
Today, we will honour the quality and integrity of lesser known distilleries by tasting a range of Speyburn samples. We will start with a bottle that I managed to buy while in Berlin, and add to that two samples of distillery exclusives that were part of a share. Here is to hoping we will see more Speyburn in the future, at the required quality standard. Only quality makes a reputation.
A few titbits about Speyburn: the distillery was erected just before the turn of the 19th century, in 1897. Right from the start, the operation worked a drum maltings instead of the more traditional floor malting. They were the first to do so. Information for when you ever participate in a whisky quiz at the local pub!
Speyburn 15 years old, bottled at 46 % abv
First things first: Bottled in October 2022 after 15 years of maturation in American and Spanish oak casks. The label makes a point of this Speyside single malt whisky not being chill-filtered nor coloured. Bottled indeed at 46 % abv.
Upon Sipping: The introduction to this modest Speysider is all on chocolate and cream. There is some wooded roughness in the background, leaning towards a spicy, almost sulphury hint. It is subtle, and offers some more complexity, which is good. Dark berries present a vibrant Speyside soul. Taking a sip, the Speyburn is not an easy “dime a dozen” Speysider at all, showing some backbone and panache. The casks give a good mix between the lighter, fruity style and the more heavy wood influences from the casks. The Spanish oak is dominant here. Talking about hidden gems, this Speyburn fits the bill. A drop of water releases some chocolate notes, and that creaminess that I liked in the beginning. This continues on the palate, where a bitter note has emerged to make this single malt feel even more mature. The finish turns more nutty, making this a more modern sherried profile, but very pleasant.
Word to the Wise: This Speyburn can proudly stand between Speyside colleagues like Glen Grant, perhaps even more leaning towards the profile of the more complex Longmorn. Somewhere in between, and that is not a bad place to be. I can understand people fighting for this single malt, that is on top of everything the definition of a bang for your buck whisky.
Score: 84 points.
Speyburn 17 years old, 2006 – 2023, Distillery Exclusive, bottled at 56,8 % abv
First things first: A single cask carrying the number 4, this 17 year old (presumably) sherry butt produced a number of 552 bottles for the thirsty masses.
Upon Sipping: This should be a ramped up version of the 15 years old, but probably only the sherried side of it, judging by the colour of this expression. Indeed, when we stick the nose in the glass, you get the same creamy texture, but then it takes a left turn and becomes much more traditional in sherry character. Red fruits, cigar leaves, and lots of raisins. What is not to love here? Taking a sip (undiluted), I have to state that it is a little bit too wooded for my taste, almost at the border of being over the top. That is a surprise indeed. Is this really 17 years old? It could well go for 30 years, not unlike this Benrinnes 1975. What a ballsy expression this is then! I really love the nose on this one, truly classic. With water, it becomes more creamy on the nose, or rather dosed with caramel and fudge. Easter is coming up in two days, the Easter Bunny can hide this bottle in my garden if he wants! Some hints of ozone after a while, a bit more dustiness. This Speyburn can swim, but looses some of its charm when diluted. Careful with water!
Word to the Wise: A rewarding sherried whisky with an much older soul than the age would suggest. I could easily sip from a whole bottle of this while never being bored by the softness of the original spirit. (Having tasted this in two sessions, first time after the 15 and the second session with the bourbon first, then this sherry, you can always pick out the soft DNA of Speyburn. Beautiful!)
Score: 88 points.
Speyburn 12 years old, 2012 – 2024, Distillery Exclusive, bottled at 55,6 % abv
First things first: A single cask carrying the number 494, this 12 year old bourbon cask produced a number of 276 bottles for the thirsty masses.
Upon Sipping: Rather classic on vanilla with interesting hints of banana. Soms wood spices and sawdust, but not much else beyond the alcohol heat. On the palate, a chocolate covered banana continues some senses from the nose. It is perhaps a tad too simple, and one could wonder why this was made a distillery exclusive. Very clean stuff. Water makes it more interesting, with a candied note being released from the oily liquid. Yes, the development is good, but you need to be a fan of down to earth bourbon maturation (luckily, I am!). At the same time, you cannot escape the conclusion the Speyburn spirit is very light, which makes is such an easy malt to sip from. The development is ongoing, but it does not straddle far from the vanilla corners. The taste got more bitter, the sawdust being very present here. Nice, spicy bit on the finish.
Word to the Wise: Clean, pristine single malt whisky that is not far removed from the blended whisky category. It lacks some backbone to be really impressive, but it does give you the true DNA of the Speyburn spirit. Nice to get acquainted!
Score: 80 points.
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